Instruments on panels



Oct 8, 1929. D. E. KEENEY BRACKET FOR MOUNTING INSTRUMENTS ON PANELSFiled May 5. 1928 gwuento'a 24 p012 Keen Patented Oct. 8, 1929 FUN-lTESTATES PATE T oFFicn DON E. KEENEY, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN,

ZlIGlTQR T A C SPAR-K PLUG COMPANY, OF

FLINT, MICHIGAN, A CGMPANY OF MICHIGAN This invention relates tobrackets for mounting instruments on panels and instrument boards.

.leretofore mounting brackets for instruments have been applied to thebacks of the cases thus necessitating the use of legs or extensions toreach to the instrument board, or else requiring the use of e long beltsor mounting screws. In the first case a large amount of metal must beused and in the secend, an unnecessary expense for belts is incurred. Inboth cases it is diilicult to secure a rigid mounting without usingheavy gage stock.

My improved mounting bracket is in the form of a ring adapted to beslipped over the instrun'ient housing and abut against an enlargement atthe forward end thereof, this enlargement preferably being constitutedby the flange to which. the bezel is ordinarily secured. The bracket isprovided ith means for connection with clamping devices s that it maybedrawn forwardly to clamp the instrument between it and the rear face ofthe instrument panel. If desired he bracket and the instrument housingmay be orovided with interlitting parts to hold the instrument againstrotation. The bracket securely holds the instrument in place, and, sinceit is located immediately to the rear of the panel, requires but shortclamping bolts or screws. Its design is also such that it may be cheaplyand easily made out of light stock.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved clamping member.

Figure 2 illustrates the member in use in clamping an instrument to theinstrument board, and

Figure 3 is a section on line 83 of Figure 2.

The numeral 10 indicates my clamping member which comprises an axiallyextending portion 12 and a radially extending porion 14. The portion 14is provided at opposite points with apertured ears 16. The free edge ofthe axial portion 12 is scalloped to provide clamping portions 18 and18. The clamping portion 18 is notched as shown 20 and slotted at spacedpoints as shown at TE'ISTRUMENTS 0N PANELS Serial No. 275,369.

22. The portion between slots is pressed inwardly forming a bifurcatedtongue.

In Figure 2 T have shown how my clamping ring is employed in practice.24 indicates a portion of an instrument panel, or in strument board.Projecting from the rear of the panel are the threaded bolts or studs26. 28 indicates an instrument, in this case a speedometer. The housingof the instrument is provided at its forward end with a radialenlargement which, as shown in Figure 3, is constituted by an outwardlyturned flange 32 formed on the housing of the instrument, an overlappingflange 34 formed on plate 36 which serves to spport parts of themechanism not shown, and a bezel 38 which serves to clamp the glass 4L0and the face plate 42 to the projecting flanges 32 and 3 So far as thisinvention is concerned the parts just described function simply as aradial enlargement or protuberance projecting from the instrumenthousing. In Figure 2 I have shown my clamping member 10 applied to theinstrument with the clamping members 18 and 18 engaging the rear face ofthe enlargement 30, and with the studs 26 projecting through theapertures in the ears 16 and equipped with nuts 44 which, when drawn up,clamp the instrument between the member 10 and the rear face of thepanel 2%. Again referring to Figure 2, it will be noted that the flange32 is provided with a tongue 4:6 adapted to engage in the notch 20 asshown to prevent rotation of the instrument in its mounting.

The above described arrangement permits the use of securing studs 26 ofminimum length. It also permits the manufacture of the rings 10 out oflight stoclnsince the flanged form of the member 10 gives it thenecessary stiffness. The clamping portions 18 of the ring engage theenlargement at spaced points, permitting the instrument and the clampingring to adjust themselves to each other and to the instrument panel asnecessitated by inaccuracies in manufacture.

I claim:

1. The combination of an instrument panel having an opening therein forthe display of the instrument, an instrument provided with a radiallyextending enlargement at its forward end, the forward face of saidenlargement engaging the rear face of the panel, a clamping memberencircling the instrument and engaging said enlargement,

and means for drawing the member toward the rear face of the panel toclamp the instrument between it and the panel.

2. The combination of an instrument panel having an opening therein forthe display of the instrument, an instrument including a casing havingan outwardly projeoting flange at its forward end arranged to engage therear face of the panel, an annular clamping member encircling theinstrument, said member being provided with an axial portion engagingthe roar of said flange and with a radial portion, and clamping meansengaging the panel and the radial portion of the clamping member fordrawing the ring forwardly to clamp the instrument to the rear of thepanel.

3. The combination of an instrument panel having an opening therein forthe display 01" the instrument, an instrinnent provided with a radiallyextending enlargement at its forward end, a clamping member encirclingthe instrument and engaging said enlargement, and means for drawing themember toward the rear face of the panel to clamp the iIlSJlllmentbetween it and the panel, said clamping member and instrument beingprovided with interfitting parts to preventrotation of the latter. I iw4-. The combination of aninstrumentpanel iaving an opening therein forthe display of the instrument, an instrument including a casi n g havingan outwardly projecting flange at its forward end, an annular clampingmember encircling the instrument, said member being provided with anaxial'vportion engagingthe rear of said flange and with ara- "dialportion, and clamping mean-s engaging the panel and the radial portionof the clamping member for drawing the ring'forwardly to clamp theinstrument to the rear of the panel, the axial portion of said clampingring being scalloped so as to apply pressure to the instrument flange atspaced points only.

In testimony whereol I afiiX my signature.

DON E. KEENEY.

